Blank cartridge



July 11, 1933. w o SNELLING 1,917,998

BLANK CARTRIDGE Filed Feb. 5, 1932 FWMELQW INVENTOR a taining means for the charge, of'l'powder. the proper 'siz AL'LTER o. SNELLLNGQQOFI"AL'LENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA; AssfGNoR-ro 'rnoJAN I :POWDERCOMIBANY, A conronArroN or n'wYoax isLnNx cnrt'rnrpen r p neaumi ofiiedr tr if r '5, 1' 932.: .Seria1 Ho. 591,023. Myinventionrelates to improvementsin ent invention. 'In this drawing A is the shell blank cartridges, and moreparticularly re- 'Wallof the blankcartridgeand B represents lates to an improved blank cartridge' 'for use rams: of the explosive forming the charge, 7 inpower devices iirwliiclr the burning of an C is the 'wadfof explosive material whichI 5 explosive isiutilizedtoproduce mechanical employ as the confining means forthe ex effects oth'erthanvthefpropulsionwof a bullet plosive charge my blank'cartridge,and D or projectile The principal 'objectof; my ls-the protecting film" on-the exposed surface invention is. to provide a'blank cartridge of'the explosivefdisc.

whichwill leave a'min'imum'of residue with- As" suitablematerial for the preparation inthecombustioni'chamber of the powerfde of my explosive disc I prefer'toemploy 6 vigi whi h it isemployed. I I mixture o approximately 50% ofnitrocelluj "In blank jcartridges a disc or Fwadffof losefand'50% ofnitroglycerin, this mixture paper, carboard or likematerial; isfutihzed forming a horny mass which may betreadily at the front endof the cartridge" as areformed into thin sheets from which discs of e may be readily cut. Many 60 When blank cartridges of, the present type equivalents for this preferred mixture may areutilized for power effects, as in'cuttin'g, 'beemployed, however, and Imayemploy' any riveting, splicingorsimilar mechanical desuitable explosive mixture of nitrocellulose,

vices,jthe, carbonaceous residue from these nitrostarch, or a nitrosugar with a suitable discs or wads tends to accumulate within colloiding agent. As colloiding agents I the explosion chamber or piston chamber of-may employ any ofthe usual materials such the mechanicalidevice, and tends to impair as nitroglycerin or a nitroglycol, acetone, the normal 'efiiciency of the apparatus ethyl acetate, camphor,ether-alcohol or the through small articles rofssuch residue belike I may addto the nitrocelluloseform- 1 coming wedged between the sides of the ing' the base of my explosive wad any of the a piston, and the walls of theexplosion' chamusual agents'employed in the manufacture her, and thus materially increasing friction of nitrocellulose propellant explosives and I 7 Within the apparatus-- andnotably reducing prefer to employ a small amount of-dipheits eiiiciency. I nylamine as-a stabilizer, and I may also em- I have discovered thatloy employing a ploy; small amounts of any suitable plasso discof "an explosive material such as nitro ticiz'ersuch as diethylphthalate, triphenylcellulose or a'pyroxylin composition as the phosphate or cresolparatoluenesulfonate as a closure discvin a blank cartridge, I am able means of insuring the desired consistency of Y not only to increase the explosive efficiency my disc or'wad overa long period of time, 3 of the blank cartridge, but in addition .I can and the avoidance of suchbrittleness as might materially decrease the amount" of residue cause the disc or wad to crack and permit the V accumulating within the explosion chamber. explosive chargeto runout of the shell. I In order'toincrease the safety of cartridges Instead of employing a disc sor wad of a made in accordance with my present invencolloidedexplosive material I may employ tion from ignition by sparks, I prefer to adisc on wad of uncolloided nature, as for 0 coat the outeror exposed surface of my'ex-. example a'sheet or fabric made up of matted plosive disc'or wad with a very thin film of fibers, preferably consolidated by the use of a non-explosive materialof relatively high a small amount of asuitable adhesive. In

heat conducting capacity, such for example one form of my invention, for example, I em as gold leaf, silver leaf, aluminum foil, or ploy a disc composed of matted fibers of ni-V the like. i i 'troc'ellulose and I may employ a partially I I In the drawing forming a part of this colloided mass of matted fibers, such as is specification I have shown, partly in plan '7 obtained when a matted mass of nitrocellua I and artly in a cut-away section, a blank lose fibers is slightly moistened with a dilute .7 -cartrldge made in accordance with myfl-pressolution of nitroglycerin. In employing v discs of either uncolloided or colloided nature v,I may employ a solution of nitrocellulose or if other suitable adhesive material as a means of attaching or cementing the edge of my disc or wad to'the shell walls at the point of contact, and a nitrocellulose solutionmay also be employed to, waterproof the disc or wad Where-additional resistancet the absorption of moisture is desirable, although with the use of a colloideddisc or wad "I do not find such additional Waterproofing to be necessary.

or .may be heldin firmly attached oxide, calcium carbonate, or equivalents such as filmsof paint or varnishpI prefer to emplo'y'jattachment by the use of an adhesive, but when. employing-tin foil or lead 1foi1 as my protecting agent I do not find that such adhesive or mechanical 'attachmentis at all necessary.

In the firing of myimproved blank cartridge, the cartridge is utilized in the power device in exactly the The protecting coating which I prefer to same manner thatblank,

7 cartridges are now employed in such apparatus or devices. The burning of the explosive charge in the cartridge brings about the combustion of the improved explosive or combustible wad, and the very high temperature. produce disintegrates, atomizes or vola I tiliz es the protecting disc, with the elimination of any, considerable amount of unburned carbonaceous residue such after thefiring of blank cartridges of the type now manufactured As it will be'evident that many equivalents be employed and many modifications may be made within the scope of the present disclosure, no limitations should be placed upon my invention except such as are indicated in the appended claims.

1. Ablank cartridge comprising a metallic shell, a charge ofexplosive within such shell, and a closure wad of an explosive composition one surface of which is coated with a metallic protecting film. Y 1 r I .2. A ,blank cartridge comprisinga metallic shell, a charge of explosive within such shell and a closure Wad of an explosive composition the outer surface of which is coated with a metallic protecting film. I vIn testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed I WALTER O SNEIJLING.

as is always left any name this 3rd day of February 

